Prior art devices and methods for feeding solder are designed for use in combination with soldering irons and soldering guns where the solder is directed to the tip of the soldering iron or gun typically for electronic soldering applications. Such devices are complicated, bulky, typically can not retract solder, have numerous parts and are specifically designed to fit only a particular soldering iron or soldering gun. They can not be readily used as a stand-alone solder feeder.
For soldering plumbing fixtures such as copper tubes, solder is usually dispensed by hand from a spool to the tube and fittings which are heated by a torch using gas such as propane or acetylene. Using both hands, the pipefitter unrolls about four inches of solder, straightens it out and uses the spool as a handle. The pipefitter lights the torch and directs the flame to the joint of the fixture to be soldered. The solder is held at the heated joint after cleaning until the joint has taken enough solder as evidenced by external solder build up and by dripping. If there is insufficient solder available during soldering, the pipefitter must extinguish the torch, put it aside, unroll more solder, straighten it repeatedly until the job is done. However, the tip of the solder is very hot and the chance of injury to the pipefitter is highly likely. It is important that joints be heated uniformly to avoid overheating damage and to obtain leak proof connections, however, removing the torch from a plumbing fixture because of unavailable solder, causes unwanted cooling which leads to improper connections. Reheating a cooled joint can cause damage to the fitting. This results in expending a great deal of time and manual labor to troubleshoot, test and repair defective joints. Furthermore, when working in tight, hard to reach spaces such as in close proximity to a combustible wall, there is a great risk of fire, especially for less experienced do-it-yourselfers. Therefore, it is very important that the fixtures be heated as quickly and as uniformly as possible and the melting solder be continuously fed into the joint as fast as possible.
The inventor recognized a never before addressed problem of feeding solder with one hand with a portable device for use in soldering plumbing joints and fulfilled a need which overcomes the limitations and issues associated with the prior art devices and methods.
In view of the above, it was recognized by the present inventor that there is an unfulfilled need for a hand held solder feeder having few parts that efficiently delivers solder to a joint in a fast and safe manner.
Accordingly, it becomes clear that there is a great need for a solder feeder which overcomes the disadvantages associated with present solder dispensers and methods. Such a solder feeder should be one that works as desired, is safe and easy to use and is economically manufactured.